Chemotherapeutic efficacy of a natural combination in the treatment of mansonic schistosomiasis: an experimental study

Figures & data

Table 1 Dosing protocols used in this study

Dosing protocol*	Artemether^Citation11 (mg/kg/day)	Myrrh^Citation12 (mg/kg/day)
Two-day protocol (Group I)	400	500
Four-day protocol (Group II)	200	250
Six-day protocol (Group III)	100	125

Notes:

* Two-day protocol, artemether 400 mg/kg + myrrh 500 mg/kg daily × 2 days; Four-day protocol, artemether 200 mg/kg + myrrh 250 mg/kg daily × 4 days; Six-day protocol, artemether 100 mg/kg + myrrh 125 mg/kg daily × 6 days.

Figure 1 Male (pinkish-colored) and female (dark-colored) S. mansoni worms recovered by perfusion of mice (Actual size).

Table 2 Effects of different artemether–myrrh protocols on worm burdens, tissue egg loads, and oogram patterns in experimentally infected mice harbouring adult S. mansoni (Egyptian CD strain)

Group (n)	Dosing protocols*	Worm reductions				Tissue egg load reductions				Oogram changes
		Total worms	TWR (%)	Total females	FWR (%)	Liver × 10^3	Reduction (%)	Intestine × 10^3	Reduction (%)	Total immature	Mature	Dead
Control** (7)	Untreated	20.57 ± 1.21	NA	7.71 ± 0.84	NA	16.51 ± 1.69	NA	18.57 ± 1.94	NA	66.14 ± 3.55	28.71 ± 4.01	5.15 ± 0.74
I (5)	Two-day protocol	8.60 ± 1.29b	58.2	2.80 ± 0.58b	63.7	6.80 ± 0.66c	58.8	4.80 ± 1.02c	74.2	6.14 ± 0.75c	36.29 ± 2.50	57.57 ± 2.97c
II (7)	Four-day protocol	8.71 ± 2.16b	57.7	3.28 ± 0.78b	57.5	5.57 ± 0.90c	66.3	4.13 ± 0.67c	77.8	30.50 ± 2.96c	33.00 ± 2.02	36.50 ± 2.77c
III (9)	Six-day protocol	11.55 ± 2.08b	43.9	4.44 ± 0.93a	42.4	7.19 ± 0.74c	56.5	6.86 ± 0.69c	63.1	23.77 ± 3.35c	29.44 ± 5.05	46.79 ± 5.41c

Notes: Groups I, II, and III were tested versus controls using one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s HSD post hoc test.

a P < 0.05;

b P < 0.01;

c P < 0.001. Values are expressed as mean ± SE.

* Two-day protocol, artemether 400 mg/kg + myrrh 500 mg/kg daily × 2 days; Four-day protocol, artemether 200 mg/kg + myrrh 250 mg/kg daily × 4 days; Six-day protocol artemether 100 mg/kg + myrrh 125 mg/kg daily × 6 days. Surviving mice/group are given in parantheses (n)

** This study was conducted in parallel with our study Abdul-Ghani et al¹² with the same control.

Abbreviations: NA, not applicable; TWR, total worm reduction; FWR, female worm reduction; SE, standard error of the mean.

Figure 2 A liver tissue section of a control group showing intact architecture studded with numerous schistosomal granulomas (H&E, ×40).

Figure 3 A liver section from a treated group showing one healed and two active hepatic schistosomal granulomas (H&E, ×40).

Table 3 Effects of different artemether–myrrh combination protocols on granuloma characteristics in experimentally infected mice harbouring adult S. mansoni (Egyptian CD strain)

Group	Dosing protocols*	Granuloma count/LPF (mean ± SE)	Reduction (%)	Granuloma diameter (μm) (mean ± SE)	Reduction (%)	Healing ratio (healed:active)
Control**	Untreated	23.00 ± 1.27	NA	270.73 ± 17.47	NA	1:2
I	Two-day protocol	16.60 ± 2.31	27.8	217.70 ± 12.18	19.6	2:1
II	Four-day protocol	11.00 ± 0.71b	52.2	207.10 ± 17.71	23.5	2:1
III	Six-day protocol	17.40 ± 2.56	24.3	199.20 ± 12.50a	26.4	5:1

Notes: Groups I, II, and III were tested versus control using one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s HSD post hoc test;

a P < 0.05;

b P < 0.01.

* Two-day protocol, artemether 400 mg/kg + myrrh 500 mg/kg daily × 2 days; Four-day protocol, artemether 200 mg/kg + myrrh 250 mg/kg daily × 4 days; Six-day protocol, artemether 100 mg/kg + myrrh 125 mg/kg daily × 6 days. Five mice were examined for granuloma counts and three for granuloma diameters.

** This study was conducted in parallel with our study Abdul-Ghani et al¹² with the same control.

Abbreviations: LPF, low-power field; NA, not applicable; SE, standard error of the mean.

UtzingerJCholletJTuZXiaoSTannerMComparative study of the effects of artemether and artesunate on juvenile and adult Schistosoma mansoni in experimentally infected miceTrans R Soc Trop Med Hyg200296331832312174787

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